Page 56 of A Curse Carved in Bone
He cried out and stumbled back, but I was already twisting to meet the hands reaching towardme.
Fingers collided with my magic with a crunch of breaking bones as Hlin’s power flung him away.
The air was abruptly driven from my lungs as the weight of the third man slammed into me. I fell face-first into the dirt, the stick spinning out of my grip.
I writhed, trying to get out from beneath him even as I fought to get a breath of air into my lungs, but he was twice my size. His thick hands pinned my wrists and his knee dug into my back.
“Get the waterskin,” he snarled. “Dose her again.”
I tried to scream but one of the other men pushed my face into the mud.
Condemn them.
No,I silently screamed.I won’t doit!
But I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t escape as they pulled my arms behind my back and rough ropes scored the skin of my wrists.
Give them tome.
No!
The world was spinning with darkness and fear, Hel’s name rising to my lips as the men’s rough hands handled my body.
Take back control.
I didn’t want to do this. Didn’t want to use her power. But I couldn’t fight them off any other way and if they returned me to Snorri, any chance of changing my fate would be lost.
One of them reached into the mud and pinched my nose, then the others rolled me. I tried to suck in a breath but choked instead as they poured water in my open mouth.
Curse them.
Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I could taste Hel’s name on my tongue.
Only for blood to spray across my face.
My body shook as I stared at the blazing axe blade protruding from between my captor’s eyes, his skull split nearly in half.
Bjorn.His name drove Hel’s from my lips and I screamed, “Bjorn, I’m here!”
The dying man stared down at me, eyes full of shock, and then he swayed forward and collapsed.
I shrieked as the burning blade descended, the heat familiar and terrifying.
It disappeared just before it struck my face. The man’s split skull fell to either side of me, the dead weight of his body holding me in place.
Boots pounded the ground and my ears filled with the snarl of wolves. The screams of men.
I squirmed, trying to get out from under the dead man, but with my wrists bound, it was impossible to get leverage. Finally I got my heels beneath me and bucked him off.
Rolling onto my knees, I spat out the taste of blood even as I took in the moving shadows.
The wolves were ravaging two of the men, their screams shrill and awful.
And Bjorn’s familiar shape was crouched over the final shadow, fists striking downward over and over, bone crunching beneath his blows.
“Bjorn.” It came out as barely a whisper. Swallowing hard, I shouted, “Bjorn, stop! He’s dead!”
He went still, head turning in my direction. Though it was too dark to see his face, I felt his fury.
